Instagram updates terms of service, will include ads

On Monday, Instagram announced it will update its terms of service and privacy policy effective in January.

The move is an important step in the growth of Instagram, which was acquired earlier this year by Facebook. The updated terms will allow Instagram to start selling and posting advertising, which is the next step in the popular startup app available on iPhone and Android devices.

The new terms also had many users up in arms because as it was worded, it would have allowed Instagram to make use of any of your information and photos for their advertising purposes (and you would have agreed to let them do this by accepting their terms of service) — not just on Instagram, but on Facebook, too.

This and other items in the terms sparked a backlash, which has since caused Instagram officials to note that they are taking the feedback seriously and plan to revise the new terms and word it so that what information and photos (and how they will be used) are more clear and hopefully fairer to the user.

“Since making these changes, we’ve heard loud and clear that many users are confused and upset about what the changes mean,” Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom said on a blog post on Tuesday.

Systrom continued on his blog post to say that the new terms have been misinterpreted.

“To be clear: it is not our intention to sell your photos,” Systrom said. “We are working on updated language in the terms to make sure this is clear.”

Look for more on Instagram’s new terms and privacy policy in the coming weeks.